Journal Communications announced an 8% increase in third-quarter revenue, driven by a 22% increase in television revenue, according to TVNewsCheck.

Steve Smith, chairman and CEO, made the announcement in an earnings report Thursday.

Revenue was $105 million, with TV revenue at $47.9 million.

Smith said the increase was due to "continued growth in retransmission revenue," which was $9.6 million, and "significant" political and issue advertising of $3.9 million.

Last year, Journal TV stations were off Time Warner Cable systems for two months during a dispute over retransmission payments by the pay-TV service to retransmit programming by Journal stations - including WTMJ-TV (Channel 4). Time Warner said WTMJ asked for a 200% fee increase; Journal Broadcast said it sought an increase of pennies a day.

In July, Journal Communications announced plans for a merger with E.W. Scripps Co. to combine broadcast operations of both and spin their combined print operations - including the Journal Sentinel - into a new company.

Many of the new group's stations will be in battleground states and will reap revenue from political advertising during the 2016 presidential campaign.

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